Sunday marked the end of our 1st week in India's commercial capital. It has been both an intense and incredible introduction to India, both in terms of our jam packed study India schedule and in adapting to the unique unrelenting pace of Mumbai . The port city, formerly Bombay, is unlike one I have ever encountered. A city that none of my previous travel experiences could have prepared me for. The intensity of the varied smells and sounds alone is enough that as soon as you step out of the airport, you are conscious you have entered a world unlike any other. In the taxi from the airport to the hotel the scene strikes me as almost post apocalyptic. A maze of unfamiliarity. Constantly intense, full of contrasts and contradictions.
Sweet smells of incense and spice hit your nostrils within seconds of those of fumes and raw sewage. Slums cling to the side of a luxury high rise. People sleeping on the streets and those driving past in top of the range sports cars. Temples for every religion, colours of every kind. A city both modern and archaic. Attempting to look past the exterior yet still adjusting to the initial culture shock, I loosely define Mumbai as a city on the verge of a new era in its development. It's ancient past colliding with the 20th century and the western world. I'm not sure if I like it.
It was at least a few days before I became aware of the cities hidden charm. Having been here more than a week now I've learned to see past Mumbai's alienating exterior and into the depths of a city at the edge of an age of unprecedented growth and development. For me the Study India programme has made it possible for me to see Mumbai for what it really is. A city that is ambitious and vibrant. Exciting and often misunderstood.
For most visitors, Mumbai is used mainly as a stepping stone to the rest of India, with visitors leaving within 24 hours. Probably because most people who have travelled half way across the world have done so to avoid built up areas reminiscent of the west, especially with the many wonders India has to offer.Equally it's pretty expensve in relation to the rest of the country.On top of that Mumbai is an intimidating city, with a population 3 times that of London. Travelling here means tackling the hectic transport systems,scams, and traffic. Even if you managed that it would be hard to know where to start in such a vast city. This means for most people the lasting impression of Mumbai is the one that hit me in my 1st 24 hours here. Leaving people uninspired and not having seen the city for what it is.
The beauty of the study India programme is that we are given a rare opportunity to understand a vast and complicated city that few get to know. This is largely due to the incredible efforts of the teachers and ambassadors and H.R. College. They make sure not only to enrich us culturally, but to protect us from every scam and pitfall that cause other visitors to leave the city with a bad taste in their mouths. Helping us with taxi prices,haggling conventions, the best night life, both cheapest and most extravagant, giving up time during their exams to ensure that we grow to love their city as they do, and it's working.
The programme itself has been a myriad of cultural awakenings. From the sociology of Mumbai cosmopolitanism to Indian media and consumer culture. From culture and tradition to beginners Hindi. Bollywood movies to Bollywood dance classes. Truly it has been a cultural feast. Not only that but in our free time with have a never ending supply of sites and places to explore. The Gandhi museum and the gateway to India are both a must when in search of culture. A vibrant western bar and club scene ranging from trance to hip hop means their's always somewhere to relax or go dancing. On weekends you can take advantage of Mumbai's efficient rail networks and find yourself in the most breathe taking mountain range in only 2 hours.It has so much to offer. Once you adjust to it's contrasts and contradictions they are no longer alienating. Once you understand its pace, it's no longer intimidating. Infact it is these things which make it special. With another 2 weeks here I imagine the list of positives will only grow.I now can't wait to explore and learn more about this city which for many remains an enigma.
By Abi Lewis-West
